Be thankful you wern't arrested.I'm extra careful when I fly to other countries.Um apparently you didn't know the maximum amount,or you gambled.You should have checked before you bought the cigs.All I can say is do your homework before you travel.

It's harsh but unfortunately if you break the rules you have to take the consequences.

If the fine was minimal you'd just do it again wouldn't you ?

it s so easy for them now with the x ray machine

and the same warning is for the booze

Why try to bring them in? The Law is the Law

No sympathy and I bet you won't try it again eh?

Speaking of Smoking, have attached an Interesting "Smoke Elsewhere" sign from a large Public Hospital in Perth, Western Australia.

Good excuse to give up. If you have smoked less than '20 pack years' you have a good chance of avoiding lung cancer, COPD and other life limiting diseases.

Ex smoker (not as calvanistic about that as I sound here!)

Sounds very steep. It should be you pay the full duty and get to keep them.

You are only allowed to keep the cigarettes if you go through the red exit "something to declare". Why do you think that the attempt to cheat is honored by allowing you to keep your cigarettes? I once brought 400 cigarettes to Australia (only 50 are allowed) and went through the red exit. I had to pay 174Aussi$ import tax, not a fine.

Fatfather

Send me a photo of this magical red exit door in australia. Im curious to see what it looks like..

smoke less and you would have more money to spend on nice thai things. You will improve your health, and most likely lower your over all medical costs over the rest of your life

When you say you were caught, I assume you mean exactly that, you were caught with them having failed to declare them, I suppose they put you into the category of a smuggler though I suspect as you got them in Dubai they were in open view.

My governments travel advice says "It is illegal to import more than 200 cigarettes per person into Thailand and this is enforced at customs at the airport on arrival; those who exceed the limit may be fined ten times the value of the items and face confiscation of the cigarettes".

I assume you knew you were breaking the law, still a bit harsh though, what was it 25,000 Baht, it certainly seems excessive?

An expensive lesson.

An expensive lesson indeed. My intention was not to smuggle them in. What happened is I placed 2 cartons in my suitcase which I forgot about and bought another 3 carton pack at the duty free in Dubai which I actually carried with me still in the duty free Shop bag within plain sight. The flight was delayed with 8 hours and arrived late at Bkk which put me in a mood to just get out the freaking airport to smoke. Well I went through GREEN at Bkk with the bag with 3 cartons in my hand without thinking. When I got out on the other side the guy spoke to me telling me something I could not make out a few times...with me telling him to get lost as I thought it was a taxi driver as I have my own car at the airport.... BIG mistake... Until I realized it was a customs official without a uniform. Anyway they took me in the office searched my bags and I got sacked with a $800 fine and they confiscated my smoked...

it s so easy for them now with the x ray machine

and the same warning is for the booze

Yeah I think it would have been a expensive entry if I was a alcohol user which I am not, so thanks for that

Do not know the legalities.

A mate of mine was caught with 1 extra cartoon, they said either pay $100 or loose it.

I came back last year with 75 kg full of vitamins, glucosamine etc etc.

Female officer asked if it was for sale, and it was not. It was for myself, staff, friends and dogs.

She asked what the approx value was, i told her $500( in reality over $3000) so she asked me to pay 2200 baht.

Sometimes "without" the legalities, its just down to luck and officers mood.

Why would anybody try to smuggle cigarettes into Thailand?

Why would anybody try to smuggle cigarettes into Thailand?

Because Thailand has very very very very limited selection and most of the available selection taste like crap and burns like toilet paper

About right. At poipet border if you are caught with over two cartons of smokes or over 1bottle of spirits the fine was 20,000 in 2012. This is 2015 so expect an adjust increase.